26/10/2025
Toileting challenges don’t always end in childhood. Sometimes issues like bedwetting, urgency, or leakage can continue into adolescence or even adulthood — and they can impact confidence, sleep, and daily life if left unaddressed.
What toileting problems can look like later in life:
Occasional bedwetting in teens or adults, especially during stress or illness.
Urgency or frequent toilet trips, making it hard to focus at school, work, or social activities.
Accidents or leakage during exercise, laughter, or sneezing.
Constipation or difficulty fully emptying the bladder/bowels, which can persist into adulthood.
Anxiety or embarrassment around toileting situations, such as sleepovers, camps, or public bathrooms.
How to support your teenager:
- Normalize the experience — let them know they are not alone and that many teens face these challenges.
- Maintain open communication — create a safe space for them to talk about accidents, urges, or worries without shame.
- Encourage healthy routines — regular bathroom breaks, hydration, and fibre can reduce constipation and urgency.
- Promote independence — involve them in managing hygiene and planning ahead for social situations like camps, sleepovers, or outings.
- Seek professional support — paediatric or adolescent health professionals, pelvic floor physiotherapists, or continence specialists can provide strategies and treatment options.
- Support mental wellbeing — reassurance, patience, and understanding help reduce anxiety or embarrassment related to toileting.
The bigger picture:
Helping teens manage toileting issues isn’t just about accidents — it’s about building confidence, resilience, and lifelong healthy habits.
This Children’s Week, let’s celebrate supporting teens with patience, understanding, and practical strategies to manage ongoing toileting challenges.